As an owner of the Schiff house designed by Richard Neutra, constructed in 1938, Chad has an affinity for European modern architecture. He spent years refurbishing the masterpiece back to its original condition after purchasing the property in the early 90s.
The layout of the Modern Prairie House was inspired by the living spaces from residences owned by the Overways throughout the years. Organization of the space took shape through the structural design with dramatic clear spans supported by a minimalistic colonnade. Few walls divide the wide-open public spaces from the private zones of the house. Jeppe Larsen, a Danish structural engineer came up with the innovative framing plan. Absent of any traditional sheer walls, the house is supported by 4’-5’ deep pier footings with a 2’ layer of concrete wrapped around the vertical support columns.
The basic skeleton structure, which took 1.5 months to erect, is comprised of materials typically seen on commercial buildings, including structural steel framing, steel deck and HVAC air handlers.
Reynaers Aluminum windows and doors were selected for the project based on the high quality of the product, broad color options and superior structural capabilities. The light bronze anodized finish, chosen for its metallic sheen and natural look, sets the tone for all the other colors incorporated within the design.
“The thermal performance of Reynaers windows and doors is unmatched” stated Chad Overway. The energy consultant for project commented that Reynaers fenestration solutions played a critical part in exceeding the requirements set forth by Title 24, an energy focused component of the California building code. “Energy costs for the nearly 370 m² under roof are less than two hundred dollars a month.”
The artistic front door, framed in Reynaers Aluminum, encompasses laminated acoustic glass with rice paper texture sandwiched between the glass layers and topped with laser cut aluminum in an organic tangled pattern providing a dramatic statement to the entrance of the house.
